The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-05-11
TWO PLEASANT CITIES.
Jenny June on the Social Traits Of
Washington and Baltimore.


and park-like avenues, its official charac-
ter, its freedom from commerce and
manufactures, the certainty of govern
mental disbursements, and the evenness
of the life which flows on, no matter
what Che change in the straws which float
down with It, all tend to create a centre
which has not its equal in the world
for essential attributes of enjoyment,
and will more and more attract the wealth
and earnest leisure, the retired potencies
of the business and financial worlds, and
whatever else goes to make the sum of
modern material life. The conditions are
aided by climate, and will be in the near
future by fios,, and garden products from
the fruitful fields waiting for the skillful
nurseryman in the near vicinity. The
Washington markets are even now we'll
and much more cheaply supplied than
those of New York but they are not
equal to those of Baltimore and Phila-
delphia, while the trading in other di-
rections, such as clothing and furnishing,
is confined to trifles, Washington ladies
making their more important purchases in
Baltimore, Philadelphia or New York.
This will probably always be the case
The season" in Washington is not long
enough, the population Is too much af-
fected by its floating element, and the
current sets too strongly against a COM
mercial spirit, to encourage great COM
mercial enterprises, which have after all
trivial motive, and require the constant
presence of luxury-loying, money-spend-
ing patrons. There is no finer hotel life
now in the world than is to be found in
Washington, and 1t only needs a little
higher cultivation, time at table, prompt
and silent service, and the possibility of
trained, individual attendance, to be the
ideal of hotel-living. That all will come
in time is as certain as that the sun will
rise, and in the meantime Washington Is
acquiring residences which are veritable
palaces, and property in certain desira-
BILE localities is going up faster than in
any new town on the Northern Pacific.
A distance of forty miles Is only an
hour by railroad, and this makes Balti-
more near neighbor TO Washington. II
might be supposed that some jealousy
would exist on the part of the latter, or
at least that there would be rjyyee,ISXs, az
siig Il importance OF its own, WI differ
ing widely in elemental character and
sources of greatness. No such thought
however, could enter the mind of the
true Baltimorean. He, or rather she--for
the spirit of Baltimore is certainly
woman-exists in serene consciousness of
her own claims to the bluest of blood, and
the undisputed possession of the best of
everything this world can afford, and her
outside affiliations are more in spirit of
concession to the leveling demands of
the age than from any desire or expecta-
tion of gaining anything that is wanted
from the outside world. Yet Baltimore
Is not secluded; II is proverbial for its
hospitality, its taste, Its cultivation and
its refinement--it may also be said,
for the preservation in It's integ-
rity of its home life. Its conservative
tendencies are perhaps the reason why
1t has been less affected by the money
making craze which has swept over
women and drawn them away from the
children and the home into the arena of
active life In Baltimore there are still
homes where children are born and are
reared by their mothcrs--where the lady
of the house cultivates her tastes, Is able
to fill the gaps occasioned by lack of SER
vice, and can be the ministering angel
needed in all households In times of sick
ness or emergency, and which Is not
quite supplied even by the trained nurse
at $50 per week, with board and washing.
/ wish could say one word out of the
depths of experience to those men who
possess the inestimable treasure of wife
who is good home-maker, and content
TO be SO. Prize her, and make her feel
that you do SO. Do not let her have to
ask for the money she needs for the sup
ply of her wants; and, as far as you can
with justice to your united interests, be
generous.
Baltimore possesses some things that
are unsurpassed of their kind by any
other city in this country. Its Johns Hop
kins University has worldwide repu-
tation, and IL 1t had been placed in the
beginning, as 1t should, on the broadcast
foundation, and given to the girls of
Maryland the opportunities It afforded to
boys Il would have been the first and
greatest institution of the k ind in the
world. But 1t is not creditable that with a
Johns Hopkins University in the city of
Baltimore a Baltimore girl should have
to go to the little town of Zurich, in
Switzerland, to obtain university edu-
cation.
The Pratt Library is noble building,
dedicated to noble purpose; but 1t Is
in its experimental stage as yet. Whether
1t will be equal to all that Is hoped and
expected of it mus. depend on its gov
eminent and on the influence which
guides it's councils. 1t ia already doing
a great work and exerting a power in
supplying the needs of struggling intel
lectual life, which students appreciate
much more than the mere devourers OF
popular literature.
Perhaps the best thing in Baltimore
certainly that which has done the most
to stimulate and educate the public taste
for art in its best and most refining
sense--is the presence and growth in its |
midst of Mr.. w. 4. Walters famous gall !
lery and collections. Mr.Walters differs |
from most other men of wealth and art |
collectors in being himself his own in !
spiration and motive for the being of |
that which belongs to him. This fact |
gives to the results of his research and |
expenditure a unity, continuity, an I
value superior to any other {
private gallery or collection of art
effects In America. Integrity in the
motive, knowledge In the pursuit, con- !,
science in the work, are felt ali the
way through, and give completeness
and satisfaction to the accumulations as Z
a whole, not realized so fully, or in the |
same way, in any collections with which I
| am acquainted. Mr.. Walters is mine /
Of curious information; he is too busy
man to go muchinto general society; but
here is no subject connected with art /
and its history upon which he does not
possess ali of interest that is known con-
,erning 1t, and often much not accessible
o the reader, but which has come to him
through his intimate personal knowledge
q artists and their strong, personal
friendship and affection for him. Bon !